A local artistic duo with projects that have been featured around the world are making downtown Barrie its next canvas.
Artists Clandestinos Art, a husband and wife, are teaming up with the Downtown Barrie BIA to design a new mural on the side of Shak’s World Community Centre on Maple Avenue.
The duo, Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky, have had their murals featured on walls in Canadian communities including Kitchener, Montreal, Manitoulin Island, Toronto and now Barrie.
“We are so happy that Barrie is opening its heart to mural art as we believe so strongly in the positive power it holds to bring communities together and give access to arts and culture to all in public spaces! Having access to culture through the arts is such a treasure, and we hope to create a meaningful work of art that can be embraced by the diversity of communities that live here,” said Shalak Attack.
She told Global News they look forward to getting more involved in the local arts community now that things are reopening.
Originally from the west Coast, Shalak Attack said the two first met in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 and began creating together.
“We both have kind of different styles, but at the same time, we’ve been working together for over a decade. So when we do paint together, it comes together almost as if it’s one artist,” she said.
The duo’s art focuses on nature and community scenes whiles also integrating cultural influences from Chili and Brazil.
“It’s very colourful. We love to bring that culture, and the visual and feeling of the warmth of the South, I think, really comes out through our work,” Shalak Attack told Global News.
The two have lived in many cities, most recently Toronto, but decided to move to Barrie at the beginning of the pandemic to raise their daughter Violeta in a space with more room to grow.
“It’s a huge gift to be able to share our colours in a place where we’ve decided to raise our daughter so that she can also be proud and look at and say, this is my parents and my family.”
Shalak Attack said they are still working on sketches for the design, but have spoken with community partners and the indigenous representatives to ensure their work represents Barrie.
“We always want to create artwork that we’re proud about, and that represents us, but also the community around us,” she said.
The two hope to finish the mural by the end of November and welcome anyone who wants to stop by and watch the process.
They’ll also be creating in Meridian Place this Saturday, painting a new public piano that will replace the existing one that’s been in the square over the summer.
People can stop by after 10 a.m. to see them in action.
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